US3907124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article handling apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-08-02
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1994-08-02
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for handling articles, especially articles of glassware, which is of the rotating turret type carrying a series of tong units on radially extending arms, each of which receives an article at one point and transfers it to another point of delivery. The tong units and their actuating mechanism are designed to receive the articles while they are lying on their sides, with their axes horizontal, and during transfer to move them to an upright position, with their axes vertical.
Inventors
- 👤 James B Legg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 17:02
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B35/00; C03B35/04; C03B35/06; C03B35/12; C03B35/125; B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
317 words
Apparatus for handling articles comprising a rotatable turret, an article-handling unit mounted on the turret and extending radially thereof, said article handling unit including a tong unit having jaws which are adapted to grip the article with its axis extending therethrough, said tong unit being mounted on said article-handling unit for vertical swinging movement about a transverse pivot axis, said turret moving the article-handling unit between a loading station and a discharge station at angularly spaced positions around the turret, means for feeding an article to the tong unit at the loading station with its axis substantially horizontal, support means at the discharge station for receiving the article released by the tong unit with its axis substantially vertical, means for swinging the tong unit about its transverse pivot axis causing it to be in a substantially vertical plane when at the loading station to receive the article with its axis substantially horizontal and to be in a substantially horizontal plane at the discharge station to permit release of the article with its axis substantially vertical, and means for operating said tong unit to open it to receive the article at said loading station, to close it to grip the article during rotation of the tong unit with the turret, and to open the tong unit at the discharge station to release the article, said tong unit comprising a pair of pivoted cooperating jaws adapted to receive the article therebetween, said jaws being spread-apart in a substantially vertical plane at the loading station for receiving the article, means at said loading station for feeding the article axially into the spaced jaws with its axis substantially horizontal, and means beyond the jaws in the direction of feed for engaging the leading portion of the article as it is loaded into the spread jaws to aid in supporting it until the jaws close about it during movement of the turret.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
317 words
Apparatus for handling articles comprising a rotatable turret, an article-handling unit mounted on the turret and extending radially thereof, said article handling unit including a tong unit having jaws which are adapted to grip the article with its axis extending therethrough, said tong unit being mounted on said article-handling unit for vertical swinging movement about a transverse pivot axis, said turret moving the article-handling unit between a loading station and a discharge station at angularly spaced positions around the turret, means for feeding an article to the tong unit at the loading station with its axis substantially horizontal, support means at the discharge station for receiving the article released by the tong unit with its axis substantially vertical, means for swinging the tong unit about its transverse pivot axis causing it to be in a substantially vertical plane when at the loading station to receive the article with its axis substantially horizontal and to be in a substantially horizontal plane at the discharge station to permit release of the article with its axis substantially vertical, and means for operating said tong unit to open it to receive the article at said loading station, to close it to grip the article during rotation of the tong unit with the turret, and to open the tong unit at the discharge station to release the article, said tong unit comprising a pair of pivoted cooperating jaws adapted to receive the article therebetween, said jaws being spread-apart in a substantially vertical plane at the loading station for receiving the article, means at said loading station for feeding the article axially into the spaced jaws with its axis substantially horizontal, and means beyond the jaws in the direction of feed for engaging the leading portion of the article as it is loaded into the spread jaws to aid in supporting it until the jaws close about it during movement of the turret.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the supporting means for the article comprises fingers carried by the turret adjacent the spread jaws to cradle and support the article, and stop means for limiting the axial feeding of the article relative to the jaws.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 including an additional support and guide means extending through said tong unit between said jaws adjacent their pivoted ends so that when they are spread and located in the vertical plane at the loading station, the support and guide means will direct the axially fed article onto said support fingers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 in which a plurality of the article handling units are provided at angularly spaced positions about the turret, each of said units including a radially-extending rotatable shaft, and gearing connecting said rotatable shaft to the tong unit of each article-handling unit for swinging it about its pivot axis, and means for swinging the tong unit about its pivot axis as the turret is rotated comprising means for rotating said shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said article handling unit comprises a supporting yoke within which the tong unit is pivoted by pivot structures for swinging movement about the pivot axis, said gearing comprising a bevel gear carried by the tong unit at said axis, a bevel gear in engagement therewith and carried by said yoke, and gears connecting said last-named bevel gear to said shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 iN which the tong unit includes a cylinder and piston unit, and a fluid conduit rotatably connected to said shaft and extending from a passage in said shaft through one of said pivot structures to said cylinder and piston unit to supply actuating fluid thereto regardless of the rotative position of said shaft or the pivoted position of said tong unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including stop means carried on said yoke and engaging said tong unit for limiting its swinging movement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the gear train includes relatively rotatably adjustable gears to accurately determine the positions of the tong unit about said pivot axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said means for rotating the shaft comprises cam means actuated by rotation of the turret, said means for supplying fluid to said cylinder and piston unit also comprising cam means actuated by rotation of the turret.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the article-handling units are mounted for radial movement on the turret and oscillating movement about vertical axes on the turret, each of said units including a radially-extending rotatable shaft which is axially movable on its respective unit and a yoke within which the tong unit is pivoted by pivot units for swinging movement about the pivot axis, said yoke being supported by rollers which engage a portion of said turret, and gearing connecting said shaft to said pivot units so that rotation of the shaft produces pivoting of the tong unit within the yoke.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |